Wind Damage to Siding

When strong wind blows in your location, it can be harmful to houses. Usually, people think that the maximum the wind can do to their home is just shaking tiles or bringing debris onto the roof. It makes sense only if there is a light breeze. If you face a straight-line wind or a real hurricane, consequences can be much more pessimistic. It is quite often when the damage caused by the wind isn't limited just by damaged roofs or windows. Wind damage to siding can also happen, which requires some extra expenses to repair it.

Besides, wind damage to siding has its dark sides. They might be the following:

• It makes the house exterior look unpleasant. The damaged siding spoils all the site and makes homeowners sad about that.
• It is quite hazardous to leave the siding damaged. In some cases, it can break away from the wall and hit someone walking by.
• Besides, wind damage to siding is not only related to aesthetical issues. Siding usually is a part of complex technology that is intended to improve the thermal efficiency of the house. When the wind damages the siding, its integrity is violated and the thermal efficiency of the house decreases. In practice, this leads to the increase of your electricity bills to warm the house.

Whatever the reason is more significant for you, dealing with the wind damage to siding should be urgent and strategically planned.

Wind Damage to Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding for home cladding is a practical and economical option. Such siding is made from polyvinyl chloride (aka PVC), an inexpensive but durable material. It is believed that the vinyl siding is strong enough, it is not strongly affected by rain and snow, it does not deteriorate because of solar radiation. But, strong winds and storms can become a real challenge for this type of siding.

Wind damage to vinyl siding is often associated with several reasons at once:

1. Vinyl siding itself has a low resistance to mechanical damage. That is, if, under the influence of the wind, tree branches hit the siding or it gets damaged by pieces of debris raised by air masses or falling trees, the coating will not withstand. In the best case, cracks will appear on the siding, in the worst case, the siding elements will simply burst. First, this will disrupt the thermal efficiency of the house. Second, the holes in the wall do not look cool.
2. When installing vinyl siding, the panels are attached to the starter bar and then snapped into one another. In case of gusts of wind, insufficiently well-secured panels can simply fall out of the grooves.
3. PVC siding is designed to protect the walls of the house from moisture ingress. But, when the wind is strong and the integrity of the panels is broken, rain and condensation can be trapped between the siding and the walls, leading to mold appearance. It is crucial for wooden walls, but even concrete walls can be damaged by it.

All this makes wind damage to vinyl siding dangerous enough for your home.

Wind Damage to Aluminum Siding

Aluminum facade siding comes in a wide variety of colors, finishes and shapes. The models with textures of natural materials, such as wood planks, are particularly popular. This type of siding has lots of benefits including its increased durability and anti-corrosion features. But, it is also vulnerable to the wind. The main disadvantage of aluminum siding panels is the low elasticity of aluminum. A strong impact can turn into a dent that cannot be removed. Wind damage to aluminum siding can happen when trees or branches are falling. Besides, if the wind makes scratches on the surface of painted panels, peeling paint causes the aluminum itself to be visible. This looks unattractive.

Aluminum siding requires proper installation. If the panels have been fixed without taking into account thermal micro deformations or some other additional elements, even a slight wind can lead to the separation of a part of the siding from the wall. Add to that the weight of the panel, which is greater than that of the vinyl siding, and the risk of damage caused by a falling aluminum panel becomes more significant.

How to Fix the Siding That Is Falling Off

If, after the wind damage, a part of the siding on the house walls has loosened or fallen off altogether, you need to repair it as soon as possible. The integrity of the siding influences not only the preservation of heat inside the house but also the risk that moisture will be collected between the siding and the walls, which is undesirable.

To fix the siding that is falling off you can choose one of the following:

• Call repairmen who specialize directly in restoring the type of siding installed on the walls of your house. This will require financial investments but you will be sure that all the work has been done in good faith, and the freshly laid siding will not fall on your head when it is windy again.
• Get down to business yourself. If you're a DIY fanatic, this is your chance to put your skills to the test and rebuild your own home.

Let's take a closer look at how to fix the siding that is falling off with your own hands.

Let's start with vinyl siding panels. If you have noticed damaged panels after the storm or there are shell-holes in them, the first thing you need to do is to demount broken parts. To replace a cracked or damaged vinyl siding panel find a special mounting hook, free the damaged strip from the lock and gently remove it.

In general, small holes and cracks in vinyl siding can be repaired with a simple patch cut from stock. A patch of scraps is simply glued with PVC from the wrong or front side depending on the type of damage. In addition, the hole or crack can be sealed with a silicone sealant (in several stages, waiting for the first layer to dry). You just need to choose a sealant to match the color of the facade, they are most often brown and white on sale.

But, if the damaged area is large enough, it is better to replace the panel completely. You can buy it or search your stocks. In general, if you've chosen vinyl siding for your home, it's best to keep a supply of vinyl strips and sealant of the right shade.

The process of replacing a damaged vinyl siding plank is as follows:

• The end of the mounting hook must be inserted into the lock on the damaged panel. It is necessary to pull the hook down and along the entire strip to release the engagement.
• The top panel should be folded neatly to provide access to the nail strip.
• Pull siding fasteners out with a nailer. If it is impossible to pull out some fastening elements, they can simply be hammered into the crate, and the panel can be torn out.
• Then remove the damaged bar.
• Put a new one, nailing it to the lattice with nails or screwing it in with self-tapping screws.
• After that, snap the plastic locks again with the mounting hook.

That's all! If necessary, you can also paint the whole wall to make it looking fresh and attractive.

For metal sidings, e.g. aluminum siding planks, the process looks similar. Yet, there are several tips that will come in handy when you remove broken or damaged plates and mount new ones.

• Check if the bottom bar is securely fastened. It is this bar which serves as a support for all the planks situated above. If, under the influence of the wind, the lower bar gets loose, it must be re-fastened with nails and rivets.
• Secure the corner pieces.
• Attach the siding bar to the batten. Remember to keep the clearance between the parts at least 0.35 inches.

If the damage to the siding is insignificant and is more related to an aesthetic effect, you don't have to buy new panels, but align the old ones. This can be done in a car workshop or by yourself, by trimming the plane with hammer blows.

Wind isn't the only problem. Also, do not forget that moisture can get under the siding. Therefore, in both cases, for both vinyl and aluminium siding, it is better to additionally process the lathing. After you have removed the damaged panels, take a bottle of a special antiseptic and carefully treat the visible parts of the crate. This will effectively remove the mold. If the weather conditions permit, it is better not to rush to install new panels but to wait for the space between the wall and the siding to dry out a little.

Sometimes wind damage causes the need to remove the siding and replace it, but, besides the panels themselves, you may find that the damage has also affected the sheathing. In this case, it is also not worth postponing the repair. It's better to remove the layers of mold or dirt from the battens, dismantle the damaged boards and lay new ones. This will extend the durability of the siding and prevent it from being damaged by the wind so much next time.

Insurance Claims for Wind Damage to the Siding

Do not think that you will have to bear all the financial burden of replacing the siding damaged by the wind. You can use your homeowners policy and file a corresponding claim with your insurance company to get compensated. What is worth remembering in this case? First of all, wind damage is generally covered by homeowners policies. Still, it is worth checking the information with your insurance manager or just reading the insurance policy and its conditions.

Also, remember that you should not start any siding repairs before the arrival of an insurance adjuster. This specialist must necessarily assess and record the damage. But, after the insurance adjuster leaves, it is worth calling in specialists. It is also in your interest to take photos of the damaged sections of the facade - this is your proof in the struggle for getting the compensation.

It is better to get as much information as possible from the repairmen who will restore the siding, i.e. the amount of the restoration work, the estimate of consumables and additional costs. You will provide all this information to the insurance company in order to get the maximum compensation. Moreover, if the damage is serious enough, it will be useful to hire a wind damage public adjuster to represent your interests and help draw up the insurance claim. Do not think that the insurance company will gladly compensate for any type of siding damage. Further, there is a table containing some siding damage cases and the likelihood of being compensated regarding each of them.

In general, if the siding on the walls of your house is new and you take care of it, you will be compensated for wind damage by the insurance company. However, you shouldn't expect any compensation if the panels have got damaged by the wind because of your negligence and lack of regular maintenance, or if the cause of the damage is not the wind at all, but the sun or temperature drops.